NEPD Staff Writer: Oliver Thomas
The New England Patriots’ 53-man roster spends their weekdays preparing for an opponent they’ll play on Sundays. Meanwhile, an eight-man roster spends their weekdays preparing for an opponent they’ll watch on Sundays.
They’re called practice squad players.
Most of these NFL hopefuls were released during the final cut-down days of training camp and latched onto an organization in a lesser capacity. Each week, these players work collectively as a scout team. They mimic the nuances of opposing players in an effort to acclimate their teammates for battle.
The camaraderie is there; practice squad players are part of the team. But no, not every team brings guys to away games just to stand in sweats on the sidelines.
In essence, their job is to practice.